Heard a music store joke recently. No guitar sold more Les Pauls than Jimmy Page’s Telecaster.

Agree, the Telecaster is simply the most versatile, beautifully simple and uniquely crafted guitar. Leo was a true visionary.

@FWRXTER

Жыл бұрын

I agree. There is nothing gaudy or over the top about a telecaster. It feels like a workhorse in the hands, and you get the sense that it’s an incredible tool for so many jobs. You can’t fault a tele.

@chriskitchen4772

Жыл бұрын

Ya, but it's boring.

@robinr22

Жыл бұрын

Uncomfortable to play - ergonomics has come a long way in 70 years. We don't start our cars with a starter handle and there's no reason anyone should buy a guitar that isn't comfortable to play.

@nosferatu7325

Жыл бұрын

That’s funny. I think they are very comfortable to play.

@peteohaira

Жыл бұрын

Hi Rhett, what about the amp we sent you.. The BC?

How many inventions can you think of where the very first model ever could not be improved upon and remains the standard forever? Leo Fender was such a genius. When we think of our heroes, it’s always Hendrix, Page, etc. Leo Fender, in his own way, is right up there.

@-Pol-

Жыл бұрын

I have a modern Merkur reproduction of the original 1904 Gillette double edge safety razor. Those old fashioned razor blades cost pennies and shave just as well as these modern day super expensive multi-blade cartridges. Today's hitech 'lubricating strips' are nothing more than built-in obsolescence that force you to replace the blade long before they actually lose their edge. Part of the satisfaction of using the 1904 razor every day is knowing I haven't been suckered into all the modern day marketing BS!

@onemanswrld405

11 ай бұрын

When you put it like that, it's pretty wild. Like if the first telephone was just an iPhone in 1920😂

@bobbychubb6913

9 ай бұрын

A colt 1911 comes to mind. I admit it's had a few mods over the years but so has the tele (the neck pick up tone thingy and intonated brass saddles are the biggest improvements made other than changing pickups) and it's got to be the simplest design that works for beginners to seasoned veterans. I've played teles now for forty plus years. If it ain't broke don't fix it.

@danieljurado3545

9 ай бұрын

Same with the Precision Bass

@dezb1

8 ай бұрын

The spoon

I bought a mexican Nashville tele to be my one guitar right before I graduated high school and it has never let me down. Gives me the unique strat sounds in positions 2,3, and 4 and delivers the classic tele sounds in 1 and 5. I've neglected it for years off and on due to various changes throughout my life and anytime I got the urge to play, it was always right there ready to go never missing a beat. Teles will always be the guitar I refer people to for first guitar recommendations.

@timnewman1172

9 ай бұрын

My Tele has a Fender Mex Nashville-style neck... besides being 22 fret what I really love is the flatter 12" radius... just a really fast & comfortable neck to play!

The Telecaster is, very literally, the guitar that made the instrument "click" for me. One guitar to rule them all.

@everonlyallforthee

Жыл бұрын

Same!

@chriskitchen4772

Жыл бұрын

Plane Jane !

@gazzie12000

Жыл бұрын

@@chriskitchen4772 Who's she - a pilot?

@telecaster-freechannel9405

10 ай бұрын

HSS Strat disagrees with you

@petermalezewski4022

10 ай бұрын

Plane Jane but the best

This is how videos should be done. People tend to talk and talk and talk….but never play. I love how after every explanation there’s demonstration keeping us informed and engaged to the end.

I'm a fairly new guitar player, but I loved the instrument for a long time. What brought my attention to the instrument was the sound of a Telecaster and its older brother, the Fender Esquire. I don't own a Tele or 'squire yet but with the advent of the new Sonic series coming out from Squier with a few Teles and an Esquire with a humbucker, I'm super pumped to get one myself and experience the iconic sounds I grew up on.

This is legitimately my favorite guitar. It's so cool to see you talking about it!

I’m a Bass player that loves your channel. I feel the same way about a P-Bass. Really enjoying Philip’s channel right now as well. Thanks for all the great videos and content!!!

It is so true! I've always wanted a Strat. But when choosing my first proper guitar (not the cheap local brand), i came across a tele that sounded exactly how i wanted my guitar to sound. And after dreaming about a Strat for years, and trying every Strat in the city for few months, I bought a Tele. AAAND. for last 7 years its been my ONLY electric guitar=) I can pretty much dial in any sound on it, it sounds great on the recording, in the shows and just is a very versatile and inspiring instrument. Great video, Rhett!

I love my dad's Tele Custom I inherited, with the humbucker neck pickup. So versatile and, I don't know what it is, it just melts into your hands. It's like you're twice as good of a player when you pick it up. So easy to play. And staying in tune... it's insane how old the strings are on mine, but they still are ready to roll.

100% agree. Been playing a LP for 10 yrs & just got myself a ‘63 Tele. They bring different inspiration & I couldn’t be happier.

I’ve been trying to decide what my next guitar should be. I couldn’t decide between the Strat and the Tele,but after this video I’ve pretty much decided that it has to be a Telecaster. Also awesome video man. 🤟🎸

@RhettShull

Жыл бұрын

Honestly, you cant go wrong there but Im team tele.

@mattclark1278

Жыл бұрын

My take: get a Strat if you want to tune and re-tune allllll day long...

@dunxy

Жыл бұрын

@@mattclark1278 🤣 If temp is stable ive gone days of hard playing without having to tune my Tele, one reason i love them and its my no1.

@chrislakes8344

Жыл бұрын

@@RhettShull was thinking of getting one with a humbucker in the neck, thoughts?

@Havanorange

Жыл бұрын

@@chrislakes8344 I suggest going to a store and trying them both at least once.

While my preferred sounds for rock is one of my Charvels, and I associate very deeply with my Strats, I always go back to my Tele for the vast majority of session gigs that I have. For versatility it is my go-to tool for most of my work, for all the reasons stated in this video. Thanks Rhett!

I love the editing and videography. Keeps us tuned in!

Teles are just amazing. Versatile, stable, customizable. Since I got mine 3 years ago I have been in love with it. Between the pickups, volume and tone combinations, and the same with your amplifier, all tones for all genres are possible

Not long ago I would have agreed as for most of the past 40 years a Telecaster has been my only guitar. But a couple years ago I found the most fantastic strat that I've ever owned\played. If I had to choose only one now between my teles, les pauls and my strat, it would be the strat. But I feel so lucky to have them all and wouldn't really want to choose just one.

@salildeshpande7

Жыл бұрын

Which one's more comfortable to play sitting down?

@bobr419

Ай бұрын

Absolutely strat and telecaster rules.

I have long counted on a Telecaster as a go-to guitar. I have many electric guitars on hand and only recently decided to narrow down what I play to Telecasters, one with a maple neck and the other with a rosewood. My Les Paul with P-90s sounds like a Telecaster; you’re right that the sound is there. Running a Telecaster through a Fender hand-wired tube amp is simplicity at its finest. Thanks for the video. Rock on.

Very informative video telling me how to get the different tones. Better than most other videos that compare the two and end up with me being more confused and feeling a lot like they’re more similar than different.

My '66 Tele has been my #1 guitar since the day it came home 30 years ago. I have some other old and new guitars that I absolutely love, but that old Tele covers so many bases so well. Leo's the all time home run king!

Have to agree. I love my SG, and I typically play hard rock, punk, and metal… but high gain with a Tele bridge is a special sound. It’s just so clear and articulate. Then roll off the volume and even through the dirtiest amp it becomes a soulful blues machine. Amazing just how perfect Leo got his very first attempt at an electric!

@salildeshpande7

Жыл бұрын

Which one do you think is more comfortable to play sitting down? SG or Tele? I haven't tried either yet.

@Havanorange

Жыл бұрын

@@salildeshpande7 sitting down, a Jazzmaster is the best

@greg6162

Жыл бұрын

@@salildeshpande7 I had the same question because I have a bad back and I’m upgrading from my $170 Epiphone LP special ii which is about 8/lbs as most LP’s are. I played for like 3/months when I was 16 in 1996 and bought a used Fender Squire strat and Marshall tube amp for $300 off my brother’s friend. That guitar was so comfortable and most importantly it was light! I didn’t weigh it but it felt like it was 6/lbs so I bought the new Fender Player Plus Strat in Olympic Pearl w/red pick guard but that thing weighs like 8/lbs?! I mean I love it beyond words but not sure why some guitars weight can vary so drastically? But I have no regrets and this is the best guitar I’ve ever played and I just got it today and played for three hours straight and forgot to take the plastic off 😂

@danielbyrne4531

Жыл бұрын

which do you prefer for mids/rhythms vs higher leads?

That was the question I asked myself when I started shopping for an electric guitar a few years ago. I have primarily played strats, and still own an 86 MIJ model I bought new that I won't ever part with. After a lot of research and trying out various types of guitars, I ended up with the American Performer Tele. I have upgraded the saddles, but everything else is stock. It sounds and plays great.

The Tele was my first guitar as a kid and it’s still my favorite to this day. The sound is unmatched.

I recently bought a budget Tele, and while the pickups are cheap, what stood out to me right away was that distinctive cut it has in the mix compared to my humbuckers that cost 10x more. The humbuckers rock on high gain, but this is more versatile in my opinion. I can't believe I played for 20 years on a strat and Les Paul without trying a T style, but I'm so glad I did! Great video, Rhett!

@coolboy-qc4eb

Жыл бұрын

humbuckers are more midrange than single coil. thats why its not getting in the mix.

I agree Rhett. Even adelaide's best guitarist and luthier said "what more do you need? " Sadly he's passed but his son , Craig, did the best set up ever on a Telecaster for me.

My #1 is an Epiphone Riviera. The minihumbucker in the bridge can get that twangy tele sound when I need it, and the middle position has a ton of clarity to it. The neck minihumbucker is warm and full and great for soulful lead lines. I have used and played way more expensive guitars over the years, but I would put my Riviera up against pretty much anything. I love that guitar.

I'm more into extended range metal guitars and I often get into weeds with guitar design for ergonomics and versatility. But the telecaster has this straightforward energy that makes me feel like I can just play almost whatever I want to play. I like what Julian Lage said about teles in a rig run down video, "I like an instrument that kinda doesn’t do anything unless you do something."

I worked at a club in the '90s, saw a lot of different types of music and artists, and the ones I most wanted to emulate usually played Telecasters. Using that rationale I bought a '73 in '93 and it was my only guitar for over twenty years; is still my primary guitar today. Just out here living up to your premise...

Thx for this Rhett. You truly captured what makes the Tele so unique and versatile. I'm a Fender guy, love single coils and have been mostly a Strat player. But about two years ago (after several Custom Shop and production Teles that I just couldn't bond with), I got a 60s Fender Custom Shop with Twisted Tele pickups and it not only became my number one, but has been the gateway to now owning 4 Teles. Still have a couple Strats, but they collect dust most days as I find myself always using the Tele, because of it's versatility. Great video as always!

@baabaabaa2293

Жыл бұрын

Cdnt agree more mate! I've got two Teles.. one poor bugga just sits there..til l swap pups. Me other ones got a Custom in the bridge & a Twisted at the neck.. insane guitar. Does everything l want anyway.

@chriskitchen4772

Жыл бұрын

Traitor !

@salildeshpande7

Жыл бұрын

Are teles more comfortable to play sitting down than strats?

@baabaabaa2293

Жыл бұрын

@@salildeshpande7 ld say the Strats more comfortable cos of the belly carve & rounded edges mate. But l play my Tele sitting & don't mind it. Spose it's what you personally like (l hit the Strats middle pickup).

@salildeshpande7

Жыл бұрын

@@baabaabaa2293 I see.. is the tele heavier? If you're playing for hours these things make a lot of difference ig

I have to say, the 4 way switch / S3 switch, whatever, basically both pickups in series, give the tele even more tones. I like that 'pseudo' humbucker tone.

@DMan-1979

Жыл бұрын

Agreed. With the tones that Rhett plays, I think he'd especially like that.

@Dzamora612

Жыл бұрын

That is THE MOD indeed! I just did that to my player series by adding a push pull pot and it is amazing. I wouldn´t call it pseudo humbucker though but it certainly pushes the amp harder like a humbucker adding more dinamic posibilities.

@corneliuscrewe677

Жыл бұрын

I’ve been wanting to try that for a long time.

@CalJennings

Жыл бұрын

​@@Dzamora612 I want to add push/pull to mine as well to split my humbucker.

@IvorThomas

Жыл бұрын

My Richie Kotzen Tele has that setup and I dig it. Helluva guitar, esp with neck shoulders shaved down a bit.

Hey Rhett! I agree. I've been using telecasters as my main axe for years. To make it a little more versatile I like installing a four way switch for series/parallel tones.

This video made the daunting choice a newbie like me has so much simpler. Thanks for the beeak down and more importantly the why. Made my conversation with sales in the shop easy. 😁

As a longtime s-type guitar player I’d just discovered telecasters back in 2019 and I never went back. The great balance of articulation, midrange and controlled brightness of a Tele makes it one of my preferred instruments these days.

@rezthered

Жыл бұрын

Exactly the same here. Been playing for 25 years but never a tele. Bought an American Pro a few years back and was genuinely astonished at how good it sounds and how versatile it is. I might want other guitars but I certainly don’t need them.

@AvAfanfromfrance

Жыл бұрын

I always loved my Teles but I also love the strat body shape, comfort cuts, balance, look, and the trem system. So I made myself an hybrid. I have a Tele in a Strat body, with a trem system based upon the Tele 3 saddles design. It's the best of both worlds and I can't get enough of it. It didn't cost me more than what an American Made Fender goes for.

@LEWDUVA

Жыл бұрын

Same with me too - I've had teles and sold them as I couldn't feel it - then a few years ago, I got the bug and now I have six telecasters (one's an 80's Tokai Breezysound). Outnumbers my strats by one . . . so now I have to balance that.

@SeanOHanlon

Жыл бұрын

😳

@salildeshpande7

Жыл бұрын

Which one's more comfortable to play sitting down?

After years of playing LPs and SGs, I fell in love with a telecaster about 2 years ago and it's been my primary guitar since. The neck pick up sound (with the tone rolled back about 1/8 - 1/4 turn) is perfect for my clean tones and I use the bridge or the center position for anything more than light overdrive. When I first bought the tele, I figured I'd use it for certain types of sounds and use the LP and SG for others, but so far, I've just been using the Tele on my recordings. I've found that I can dial in a wider range of more distinct tones much easier on the Telecaster than I could with my Les Paul or SG... at least with the kind of music I write.

Agreed, my deluxe modern player tele of 5 years was practically my go to. I sold it last year for a custom guitar that's going to be my new main go to for a long time

I got a wonderful example of a Japanese Telecaster a few years ago and modded it to Nashville spec but added a switch that also gives the classic Tele Neck/Bridge tone and a all three pickup tone, great guitar. Seven tones in one package.

I own a Gibson SG, with an Angus Young humbucker in the bridge, and a phat cat (p-90) in the neck position. This combination has made the instrument so much more versatile. I can now even play Mark Knopfler style with the p-90 and it really sounds like a single coil. So amazed by this customization.:-)😊

@yumernen

10 ай бұрын

I put humbucker-shaped P-90 onto the neck position of my Flying V copy :) and I can confirm that it is still good in heavy climates but also earned something more really good :)

@oceantree5000

4 ай бұрын

P90s are single-coils… but I know what you mean. I’m a huge fan. I’d love to sub out the neck humbucker in my old Korean Sheraton II for a P90 someday.

I ended up getting a Nashville Telecaster and I absolutely love it. The extra pickup in the middle lets me get even more sounds without sacrificing what makes Tele's great.

@daverinn

Жыл бұрын

I have been wanting to buy one sooooo bad! Did you get a player plus or do you have an older model when they were called deluxe?

@kremepye3613

Жыл бұрын

I'm half tempted to buy a player and route my own middle pup into it

@daverinn

Жыл бұрын

@@kremepye3613 P90?

I’m determined to build my Tele - ‘bout time - with the best mix of components and good ideas that I can get from you and others of us who appreciate what Leo and George gave us. Many thanks! John(m)

I had never owned a tele until pretty recently when I ordered a custom one from Strack guitars. It pretty much immediately became a go-to - no matter what sound you dial in it sits great in a mix. Now that I have it I’m sure how I got so far into my musical career without one.

I honestly didn't know I loved telecasters, until I bought a Fender telecaster! It is my most played instrument in my arsenal. And, for all of the reasons you just mentioned. I molded mine to remove the tone control from the neck pickup. It made it way more clear and punchy. I love it!

@teleplayer605

Жыл бұрын

I'm thinking of doing that mod to my Tele... I like to play with the tone rolled back a little bit for the bridge, but I like the tone all the way up for the neck. Can be slightly annoying constantly having to change it every time I switch.

Pretty damn stoked to be getting my first ever Tele for my 50th birthday. I’ve been a Gibson / Epiphone guy my whole life, but after I decided that my SG felt like a giraffe w that super-long neck, and some hair-pulling intonation problems w an otherwise gorgeous new Casino, I pulled the rip cord. Looking around it seemed like Fender typically has brilliant intonation and tuning stability. Having always dug Teles, the decision isn’t a hard one.

@user-lv7ph7hs7l

3 ай бұрын

Same, Les Paul and Flying V guy, Epiphone, LTD and a Gibson V. I found a super cheap Telle. Arrived today. Incredible. I still love the Gibson style guitars, but the Telle is definitely one of my main guitars. If I gig it'll be one G style abd the Telle. Perhaps only the Telle? I never liked them. Looked weird. But I've softened my stance after 19 years of "I don't like Telles". And so I got a Lake Placid Blue one with double binding, super cheap Roswell pickups. Incredible... I think I might end up getting more. Never really fully got into the Strat, though I like it but the Telle is my thing now. And Flying V :) I'm weird I suppose. The Les Pauls are great but sitting down is how I like to play them. Heavy things... even my light Les Paul is not that light.

@user-lv7ph7hs7l

3 ай бұрын

Oh and yeah, I played it for 6 hpurs straight. Tuned once. But I was digging in like I would never dare on my maple tops or the precious Gibson. Just having fun. Intonation perfect... One of my Epiphones can not say the same and honestly the Gibson needs a tune way more often. Even with graphite and the string spooled upward (helps a bunch).

Thank you for this video. I've had a Telecaster for a while, and I've never liked the sound of it that much. I miss the sound of the Strat I sold. But this video has inspired me to explore it some more. One thing that influenced me to get the Telecaster was I heard Devo at the Capital in LA around 1990. That guitar player made that Tele sound so good all evening long. And I can get that same sound, but I don't play any music where I can use it. One thing I like a lot about the Tele though over the Strat is that the, I think you call it horn, where you attach the guitar strap, is shorter on the Tele. When you're playing with a strap, this shifts the neck over to the left when you're playing the guitar right handed. This makes it feel like the upper part of the neck is easier to get to. I'd trade it for a Strat right away if it wasn't for how much I like that Tele's neck. Mine is one of those that you can push the volume button in and cause the the pickups to be wired together like a humbucker. I'm not a fan of that arrangement.

Agreed - a two pickup guitar is the workhorse for me. My Baldwin 706 (single coils that look like humbuckers!) is now 56 years old so it's staying at home and I'm jamming around Southampton, UK with a new Squier FSR 50s Classic Vibe Telecaster in Vintage Blonde. It's got the looks, the sound and cost just £400. Upped the strings to 10-46s from the 9-42s shipped and it's now rocking everything from 50s rock n roll, 60s pop to Eagles & Dire Straits. I just need to adapt my right hand rhythm "technique" to the ashtray bridge (and maybe reverse the control plate)

Tele gang for sure. The neck pickup has to be one of more underrated and least praised options. Many player opt for a P90, Humbucker, or even Goldfoil as of late- instead of the traditional Tele single coil. I like all those other pickups too, but the tele neck pickup might be my favourite. A good one is loud, round, warm, and (I find) more complex and interesting than the more straight-ahead options. Great video :)

@dunxy

Жыл бұрын

I agree! Tele neck is one reason i fell in love when i first got one nearly 20 years ago.

Every word is true. I bought a Squier Tele 11 years ago for $299 and I took 9 years to improve it. Only the wood is original. Pups by Seymour Duncan, Sperzel locking tuners, push-pull pots, new electronics, you name it. The total cost has been about $900 and my Squier Tele plays like a 'real Tele' only with WAY more options. And is still a lot cheaper that an original US Tele would have cost me. Also; modding your axe is Fun!!

Greetings from Butts County Georgia. The Tele really is an amazing specimen. I didn’t get along with them for years but then everything changed. Once I finally got it, there was really no going back. I every time tried to get rid of the Tele in my collection, I always found that something was missing and I bought another one. I have another one and it is THE ONE. It’s not going anywhere. Now I have my Tele, my Strat, and my Les Paul. I have a couple of others for different flavors but the 3 kings of the guitar world are my favorites. Thanks Rhett. Great video as always.

Good video! The middle position on a Tele is a real hidden gem, especially when combined with the tone control, but frankly the Tele will do anything, you can even do a passable bass on it.👍

First. And Rhett couldn’t be more right about this. Teles for life.

@LiamNashMiller

Жыл бұрын

Daniel Bell managed to snag first. You are second though!

@Tomekkplk

Жыл бұрын

Adults seriously get satisfaction commenting first on a video?

@culturetrash3191

Жыл бұрын

@@Tomekkplk you must be fun at parties.

@JosePineda-jn8jk

Жыл бұрын

Yeah sT -ELE- rats for life! 😂

@kevinthompson1521

10 ай бұрын

I have a 2019 professional. I already owned a strat and les Paul and my Tele is my favorite to play on a daily basis

I recently picked up an Epiphone SG Pro with PAF pickups. While I know the guitar is renowned for rock and Americana styles, I was amazed by the variety of tone you can get with the PAF pickups in either the bridge or neck selection and how you adjust the tone. It's not known as a jazz instrument (except for Bill Frisell) but it has great warm and round tones if you select the neck pickup and roll off the tone. You can also get a lot of spank out of the bridge pickup by playing back by the bridge. Like you said, Telecaster on steroids.

@andrewpearson1903

Жыл бұрын

My two go-to electric guitars are an Original 50s Telecaster and an Epiphone G400 (another SG clone). Only the poorly made neck (of my individual guitar), and the general unfitness of my Blues Deluxe for humbuckers and lots of drive, keep me from playing the G400 more often.

My tele is my most favorite guitar I own. (I have a 64 SG, a 65 Magnatone Typhoon) The tele was just a squire 52 reissue that I customized with a roasted maple neck and Lambertone Blondie pickups and a Babicz full contact bridge. It always stays in tune and it sounds like a million bucks! ✊🏽🏆

Totally agree. I have a strat, jazzmaster and teles. For some reason I usually take my tele with me. Just has such a good sound.

I have a Squier Classic Vibe (50s style) Tele in Butterscotch Blonde and it is a stunning guitar, no doubt about it, i'm a huge Les Paul fan generally but the Tele is still amazing

100% agree. Teles are extremely versatile and a lot of people just associate them with country. They do rock and blues as well as a Les Paul or Strat as well in my opinion (with the right pickups of course). They are also built like a tank and the setup is very stable (all because they are so simple). In some heavier genre’s you would still want humbuckers, but I think a tele could be really cool in that context as well. The clarity/brightness of the bridge pickup would sound really good layered with another thicker guitar sound in that context. I used to think Teles were for country and weren’t particularly inspiring… then I played one. I’ve never looked back!

@le_th_

5 ай бұрын

I associate them with Jeff Buckley, oddly. Then again, I don't listen to country.

Man. What a great video. Genius explanation. Love your videos and your playing, man!

Great video, wholeheartedly agree! There's a reason i used a tele neck pickup and control scheme for a partscaster, which is my no1 guitar right now. It does exactly what you expect from it and more, all while being extremely reliable! I just wanted a bit more punch and bark so chose a LPJ P90 for the bridge, but apart from that, it's a tele in a strats body!

for the high gain guys (including myself) I've used a telecaster for high gain recordings for many years. these things can handle drop tunings incredibly well and literally never go out of tune. stock single coil pickups sound great through high gain amps, although a bit nosey, can be remedied with a gate. my desert island guitar.

Amazing that 70 some years on it is still so highly regarded. A few generations of computers or tablets in and we always clamor for the next thing but these guitars really have stood the test of time.

I agree. I love the tele plugged straight into a fender deluxe.

100% agreed - I own a Fender American Vintage 50s for some years now and it's definitly my guitar, on which I play everything from Jazz to Rock and Metal. Picking it up just feels like home everytime

I absolutely agree and the Baja tele in particular is the best ever with a 4 way switch that gives you a humbucker style 4th position and an S switch that gives you two out if phase tones! I love mine and would never sell it!

@stratplayr6997

Жыл бұрын

I put a 4-way switch in my Tele and the series option is great. Unless you need a guitar for 80s rock or metal, the Tele can handle pretty much anything else.

@leotrot2071

Жыл бұрын

one guitar? yeah, telecaster, is the one

I would have to go with the Tele myself. They have a few different tones going on and take effects well. Good all around working instrument.

Great video, thanks! I have to agree. I own a few of the most well known guitars, but more and more I just use my ‘52 reissue Tele. It can do just about everything. It reacts to pedals so well but just played straight through a good amp it sounds so pure. It’s better prepared than I am to play any style! 👍

I have had guitars with single coils, P-90's, Humbuckers, MFD, Jazzmaster and even Seth Lover's PAF's, but my favorite p/u's are the Telecaster traditional (right now Yosemite) pick ups. There is so much you can get out of it from pure sweetness to great rock and blues, even a mellow jazz. My current Tele is a Nashville with said, Yosemite p/u's and a custom neck. It's certainly not the most expensive guitar I own, nor is it the flashiest. But it is capable of everything I need and then some. Leo got it right the first time and all other guitars since then have just been some version of the Tele, trying to capture the magic.

My #1 guitar is a G&L ASAT Classic S with alnico pickups and a Free-Way 10-way switching system. This is (very) roughly analogous to a Nashville Tele. It gives you 100% of a Tele, 80% of a Strat, and ~60% of a humbucker-equipped guitar. The Free-Way switch gives you the B+M, B+N, and M+N in series, which is really nice.

ES335 is actually the most versatile guitar to me. Jazz, blues, rock, funk, even knew a country guy that played one.

@charlie-obrien

11 ай бұрын

They are great guitars. I own two variants and both are in my top 3, being #2 & #3. Right after my Tele.

@LovinMusic1965

10 ай бұрын

Tons of country is recorded with one. In the late 90s to about 2003 I played in a band and we would go to Nashville. The studio musicians were amazing, and now fairly atop the game now. 335, strat, were definitely the top guitars.

@ayandey137

10 ай бұрын

Can't Djent on a ES335 😂

@johnnorris1983

10 ай бұрын

@@ayandey137 You can.. Try out the Collins i30 £6k but quality

@folderol8487

9 ай бұрын

I love both the Tele and the 335, and I think they're equally versatile. But an actual Gibson 335 is just not accessible for very many. Just about anybody can get hold of a Tele. It's utilitarian and sort of "working class" and I love it for that.

I agree. I play G&Ls, and the Tele/ASAT form does it all.

This is great explanation of this guitar. I have a 99’ American Tele. I absolutely love this guitar. Thanks for this video

I never really bonded with the Tele, mainly due to the ergonomics of the body, but I did find an interesting compromise: the Ibanez Talman Prestige 1803M. Its body is contoured like a Strat and has an SSS layout, but it has a 3-way toggle and an independent volume control for the middle pickup, so you can dial out the middle pickup completely and have a traditional Tele configuration but also have the option dialing back in for Strat tones. It is super cool because you can just bring up the middle pickup a bit and it is a great tone shaper and there's also the option of having all three pickups on at once. It is loaded with Seymour Duncan single coils, has the "ashtray" with individual saddles and string through the body. It is a "best of both worlds" type guitar. Thanks for the vid, Rhett, interesting as always.

@charlie-obrien

11 ай бұрын

I have my Nashville Tele set up the same way, with independent control over the middle. It's got like 3 unique sounds that I can't get anywhere else and are in demand. I also own a couple Ibanez guitars ( hollow and semi) and you can't beat that build quality for the price anywhere.

My first electric guitar was a Squier affinity tele, a really nice and affordable instrument that served me well for the first couple of years of my guitar journey. I’m ashamed to admit I haven’t really touched it in about that long (the frets being too worn down for my comfort and the neck p-up being pretty dark), but I hope sooner than later to give it the TLC it deserves with some new pickups and probably a refret.

@stoneysdead689

Жыл бұрын

I have an Epiphone Les Paul Standard form 2007 that's in the same boat. It's a really nice guitar but, after ten years of gigging with it, several more jamming in the bedroom, and then it sitting in storage for 3 years- the neck pickup is super dark, one vol. pot. seems to have a short or something, and I can't get it to intonate. There's a pretty decent ding on the fret board- looks like the neck may have taken a nasty bump at some point. I need to take it to a technician and tell him to call me when it's ready to plug and play- I don't even want to have to tune it. I want him to set it up as close to the Adam Jones Les Paul as possible- Burst Bucker at the neck pos. and a "higher gain" pickup at the rear. That's all Gibson's specs say "a higher gain pickup" for the bridge position- I have to figure out which one. Then I want CTS pots and a Switch Craft toggle and input jack installed, and a good setup completed.

@TealScarab

Жыл бұрын

@@stoneysdead689 hope my G400 deluxe pro lasts that long and then some, but my tele (and possibly the first act guitar I loaned to a friend) might be my first guitars to practice doing some actual fret replacement and fretworking. Practice may make perfect, but you need to first start to develop effective practice.

Yep same; love my 52 reissue, does a bit of everything 👌

This is so true. I have a few guitars but the telecaster is my main one and has been for the last 10 years. It just works. Currently owning a Fender Custom Shop Nocaster 51 since 2019 which I'll never sell. It can be seen on my channel, going from jazz all the way to metal.

Nice video. I'm more a LP kinda guy. Never really took time to really play a tele. Makes me wanna try. Thanks Rhett.

Great video Rhett. I love my tele. It's the one in my collection I'd run in to save if my house were on fire. I love the Greg Koch quote about them too: "At the end of time, there will be cockroaches and Telecasters - and the Teles will be in tune." 😉 Keep up the great work 👍

Started out on an LP copy, back in the early 80s, then played Strats, for quite a few years. Eventually tried a Tele and that's been the guitar for me, ever since. It's just perfect!

I have this guitar too. Without the neck pickup & brass saddles of course but I Love it!!!

I have a G&L ASAT with a coil split and it is, without a doubt, the most versatile guitar I’ve ever owned. I wanna grab a Gristlemaster so bad though

@noslen954

Жыл бұрын

You are correct my friend. I have an ASAT deluxe and it's the best guitar I have.😊😊😊

@daviddalziel884

Жыл бұрын

The G and L ASAT guitars are great . My letdown with the Gristlemaster was the jumbo frets I felt were too big for me .

My one guitar for everything would probably be a HSS strat. I find strats more comfortable to play and the sweet single coils paired with the power of a humbucker are as versatile as you can get IMO.

@VanjaSpirin

6 ай бұрын

You are right.

@kenny69lover

5 ай бұрын

my strat has a humbucker split so its even more versatile

Great informative video Brett, also your playing is superb dude.👌

My PRS Paul's Guitar is the most versatile instrument I've ever touched. The fact that I can play believable versions of Sweet Child 'O Mine, Life in the Fast Lane, Sultans of Swing and Ain't Talkin Bout Love on the same guitar is a game changer, especially on fly dates. Huge love for Teles though, I know they get dubbed as a country guitar, but Alice in Chains and Rage Against the Machine (amongst others) would beg to differ.

@powbobs

10 ай бұрын

But PRS are so ugly.

@GJSolo

10 ай бұрын

@@powbobs very helpful comment

@powbobs

10 ай бұрын

@@GJSolo I also don’t like the way they feel if that helps.

@folderol8487

9 ай бұрын

I don't like their price. That puts them in Gibson boutique territory.

I love this discussion and the comments...good input from so many players. I played Strats almost solely for 20 years before I added a Telecaster to the team. I still ask myself why it took so long to buy one. Rhett's correct: the Telecaster truly is simple and versatile.

Been looking for a tele as a way of changing from Accoustic all the time.nice video Rhett, thanks the chord lessobs are an opportunity to combine my ideas. Thanks

Gotta say, I'm sold. Never been a fan of teles but this made me understand how brilliant they actually are

It's funny you came out with this video today because I was having this mental debate with my Strat and Tele last night! One thing that doesn't get said enough is how well the Tele sits in your lap and hands. At least for me, a Tele just seems to put my hands in the perfect position.

@luket4319

Жыл бұрын

Same with me. I’ve also been debating between an Epiphone casino and my Squier telecaster, but I think this just sealed the case

@jeffball6656

Жыл бұрын

I used to think that Tele’s were old fashioned and Country. That was back in the ‘80’s when I was a teen. Now, it is often my ‘go to’ guitar.

@dunxy

Жыл бұрын

@@jeffball6656 I think we all went through that phase, some may still be stuck in it, but the rest of us have Tele's! I have a few guitars, all decent, but i always reach for my Tele and i have to replace the strings on it far more often than all my others combined, because i play the shit out of it!

In a recording context, the Peavey T-60 would be a really good bang for the buck option. It has the widest array of sounds from one guitar I've ever played other than maybe an ES-345. They have super small necks, so that can be a make it or break it factor, but from a variety, quality, and value standpoint, they are great. The weight might be an issue for players standing, but seated in a studio, it would work alright.

@MoreMeRecording

Жыл бұрын

But that T-60 is just such a hideous looking axe, and I know I'm not alone in this this thinking. It *shouldn't matter*, yes, but the reality is guitars are a lot like food: you tend to first eat em up with your eyes, first.

@garrysimmons111

Жыл бұрын

A T-60 was my first "real" guitar (1980?). Kinda wish I still had it around. It was a heavy beast. My vote for "one guitar" would be an HSS with a trem of some sort. Currently smitten by my PRS Studio.

@tiki_trash

Жыл бұрын

@@MoreMeRecording I always liked the way they look. To each his own, I guess.

I just bought a Squier 50’s Classic Vibes and love the unique sound. The fact that with the blond color I can see the grain of the pine wood makes it a beauty to look at. I saw it a week ago, didn’t buy it, then kept thinking about it, and worried someone else would get it before me, so had to run down to the store and now she’s mine!

Love my Tele. Mine has the 4 way toggle which really expands the voices available. Great video.

I avoided the telecaster for most of my life. I've always been a Gibson LP or Strat guy. A few years ago I got really attracted to the American Pro II dark night color scheme. I already had a strat, so I thought, why not? Let's get a tele, in that dark night burst scheme. Wow!! I was missing out all those years. I love my tele. It does it all man. Heavy metal? Yes! Rock? Yes! Blues? Yes! R&B? Yes! Country? Yes!

Knowing your story with the 355 and how it is often referred to as the most versatile guitar I was convinced that 335 would be your choice, interesting that you went with the Tele!

@FakingANerve

Жыл бұрын

Part of me is waiting for an April fools reveal...😂

@saltnutzzzz

Жыл бұрын

335 with humbucker tapping capabilities over the Tele

Couldn't agree more Rhett. I bought a pristine butterscotch 67 maple cap board Tele in 1985 and proceeded to play the finish off of it. It has a lacquer finished body. They went to poly shortly after 67. It looks like it's been through hell but it's indestructible. All that actual playing wear gives off powerful mojo that a "relic" just can't duplicate😁 I play it through a hand wired 57 Deluxe clone. Players always come up to me at gigs and want to know more about it and try it out. It remains my #1 to this day. Over the years I've had to replace some parts (I have all the original parts). It's still a working axe. The vintage purists might cry heresy but I run a Duncan QP in the bridge and an old PAF in the neck position. That covers literally everything for me. Country to rock to classic metal. A desert island guitar for sure and the one I would run into a burning house to save. Leo got it right out of the gate.

Yes i agree telecaster being THE one guitar. Very versatile guitar i would say. Thanks for the video.

Although I prefer the vibe of the Tele to that of the Strat, the Strat is of course more versatile. I know people that play them simply because they have a tremolo, just like Jeff Beck. The extra pot on the Strat helps. I find the neck pickups to be equally interesting, but prefer the Telecaster bridge pickup. Six saddles are preferable (though for the sake of vibe my Tele has 3 barrels :)) It's really worth while to mod the Strat to be able to have the neck pickup on with the bridge, a la Dave Gilmour.

I think it was Tom Petty that I saw performing with a telecaster back in the early 90s and I didn't know what it was but I just thought it was the coolest looking guitar ever. It's been my favorite for many years now and it's like the swiss army knife of guitars. Leo was a genius and I absolutely love the telecaster!

@RhettShull

Жыл бұрын

I never got to see Petty live, and it’s something I’ll regret for the rest of my life.

@whwh7339

Жыл бұрын

I was at bonnaroo 2013 and literally skipped his set because I young and very stupid. By far my biggest musical regret.

@schmargle

Жыл бұрын

I love my Tele: It feels great, and I agree it’s versatile. But for years, when it was my only electric, I struggled to get a humbucker-like overdrive tone. Then I bought an SG and…ah. Then I had most of my bases covered. (Then I bought a Strat too…)

@martinaddison4880

Жыл бұрын

@@RhettShull I saw Petty @25 times. Pro Tip: if you are near a The Dirty Knobs show, don't miss them. It's not the Heartbreakers, and they don't try to be, but it is Mike Campbell. I have seen them 15 times.

@FakingANerve

Жыл бұрын

​@@RhettShull He was truly otherworldly to see. He seemed to float onto stage and just charm you. We'll all have our regretful misses, though, but yeah... he was something special.

It's only taken me 40 odd years to work this out! Totally agree, cleans are lush, dirt ready kicks, and everything in between. Used to be strat guy, but a tele is the boss.

Especially with a series parallel mod. Makes the guitar even more versatile. Kinda surprised you didn’t talk about it. Easy wiring kits can do it.

1:56 I'll be surprised if this lick doesn't get a copyright strike! That song was popular when I was a teen, and this really takes me back,. that's an excellent rendition!

@davd1038320

Жыл бұрын

whats the name i want to hear it

@everonlyallforthee

Жыл бұрын

@@davd1038320 "Life's Been Good" by Joe Walsh. And he's right, Rhett pretty much nailed that tone 👌🏻

@TranscendentBen

Жыл бұрын

@@davd1038320 Joe Walsh - Life's Been Good

@TranscendentBen

Жыл бұрын

@@everonlyallforthee The tone, the pickin', everything.

@guitarbo1

Жыл бұрын

If the song was from the band he eventually joined, it probably would get flagged

I only have one guitar...and its a tele. It really does do everything: Blues, soft rock, hard rock, punk, grunge, funk etc.. When I first started playing guitar i thought it looked awful and so akward but now i think it looks absolutley amazing. I actualy think that it is more comfortable to play than strats because they don't slide off your leg every time you strike a chord. I've played a lot of other guitars and I have never had quite the connection with one other than the tele. It truly is the most versatile guitar.

@charlie-obrien

11 ай бұрын

I feel ya. I'm an older player who doesn't do gigs any longer. I have six guitars (down from 9) and I continue to sell. It's heartbreaking, but I already know that at the end it will only be, me, my Tele and the acoustic. Gotta stay ready for Christmas, the odd campfire and the Clash!

I love my Ultra Tele w/ the belly cut and noiseless pickups, Great for reggae, blues, funk and soul.

I love my tele, great video as always Rhett. Maybe would be awesome a video about the one only AMP we need if we only could have one.

I play a Telecaster with a humbucker added in the neck position and a bigsby. It's my favorite guitar, and I keep finding new tones in it's only 3 pickup settings and two knobs. Love a good Telecaster